


Forget Me Not

by babykpats



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M, Post-5x12, Sad!Ian, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-21 21:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3705783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babykpats/pseuds/babykpats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian bumps into Mandy and Mickey three years after he dumps Mickey.<br/>But there's something different with Mickey.<br/>And Mandy won't let Ian hurt Mickey again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It’s been three years. Three years of doubts, whether he made the right choice or not. Three years of frustration, that he didn’t accept the inevitable sooner. Three years of not knowing how to fix the crap a stupider version of him made and it all came down to this.

A random café in the Northside that Ian walked into and he finds Mandy and Mickey right in front of him.

Fuck him if he messes this up again.

“Mick?”

Mickey looked up and Ian expected anger and endless cussing. But a more hopeful side of Ian expected Mickey to welcome him back with open arms.

What Ian didn’t expect was an awkward smile. “Yeah?” Mickey said cautiously.

Mandy’s head whipped around quickly, causing her hair to lash out every which way. “Ian? What the fuck are you doing here?”

“You know him?” Mickey asked, awkward smile still present on his face.

“Mickey?” Ian called out again. Ian wasn’t sure what Mickey was trying to do but he promised himself he wouldn’t screw it up this time.

Mickey gave Ian a confused look and even though Ian didn’t understand what Mickey was doing, it still hurt.

“Mickey, I gotta talk to this guy for a bit, I’ll meet you home?” Mandy asked Mickey.

“Uh.. yeah okay. I’ll see you at home.” Mickey said as he stood up and made his way towards the exit.

“Mick.” Ian said, his last ditch effort.

Mickey turned back around to look at Ian. “Bye man.” Then, he left.

Ian was suddenly dragged into a chair while Mandy violently sat opposite him. “What the fuck are you doing here, asshole?”

“I was looking for a job. What’s wrong with Mickey?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, shitface. Stay the fuck away from Mickey, Ian. I’m not kidding.” Mandy’s voice was what venom would sound like.

“I’m good now Mands. I take my meds, go to therapy and shit. I tried looking for you and Mickey. Went by around your house a few times but no one was ever there.”

“You know what? You are an asshole. You think you can just drop Mickey when you get tired of him and then suddenly pick him up whenever you want?! He’s not a goddamned toy, Ian. He fucking loved you!” Mandy was all but screaming in the tiny café.

“I know, I know. I made a mistake. But let me fix it.” Ian pleaded.

“Fuck off. He’s finally happy now and I ain’t letting you screw it up. Go away Ian. He doesn’t need you.” Mandy started walking towards the door.

But Ian grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Mandy, please. I really really fucked up.”

Mandy shook her hand violently out of Ian’s grasped. “You think you can handle it? You left him and he started fucking turning into Terry. Drunk and high every fucking night.”

Ian winced at the mental image.

“Oh we haven’t gotten to the good part yet, dickface. One night, he was so fucked up that he started walking out the door, kept saying that he was gonna look for your ass. He kept saying he was gonna fight for you, and you know what happens? A fucking car runs him over.”

“Shit, Mandy.”

“Now, he has fucking amnesia. Can’t even remember the names of our fucking brothers.”

Tears started falling from Ian’s eyes.

“Oh don’t cry you fucking pussy. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him. He finally forgot about the shit you put him through. So, you don’t get to talk to him or touch him or even fucking look at him. We finally fixed him from all the crap you decide to throw his way. So just do us all a favor, let him be happy, and walk the fuck away.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Alex.

Ian felt like he was hit. Hard. In the face. With a fucking train.

Ian started walking towards the L.

When he got home, he was surprised to see that Lip was there. No one was ever in the house these days. “Hey man.”

“Ian! Hey.”

Ian walked into the kitchen and frowned at the pathetic state of their refrigerator. He grabbed the least suspicious thing in it which was an apple and ate it.

“You know where everyone is?”

“Debbie is in school. Carl is out, don’t know where but he’s always back for dinner. Liam is at Kev’s, heading there right now.”

“Fiona?”

“Gus’s, she barely comes home anymore. Speaking of, what the hell are you doing here?”

Lip chuckled. “Job is sucking the life out of me. Thought I’d give you guys a visit.”

Ian smiled and walked to Kev and V’s house together with his brother. “You ever heard what happened to Mickey and Mandy?” Ian asked.

Lip shrugged. “All I know is they moved Northside. They conned someone for something I think. Why?”

Ian just shrugged and opened the door to their neighbor’s place.

“Hey Liam.” Ian crouched down to talk to his little brother. “What are you doing?”

“Teaching Yevy how to draw.” Liam said holding up a piece of paper with unidentifiable squiggles.

“That kid still lives here?” Lip chuckled, motioning towards Yevgeny.

“Deadbeat father leave him behind. No other choice.” Svetlana said, coming into the room from the kitchen.

Ian frowned. He wanted to yell at Svetlana, tell her what happened. Tell her that it wasn’t Mickey’s fault. But then Ian realized something. Mickey won’t remember Svetlana or even Terry. He’s starting to think that Mandy might be right. That maybe the amnesia wasn’t such a bad thing.

But the amnesia also means that Mickey doesn’t remember Ian.

~

After sending the Debbie and Liam to school and making sure that Carl was still alive, Ian hopped on the train and headed back to Northside.

Ian got his GED and took some vocational courses. If the lives of his younger siblings were now his responsibility, then his best bet was finding a half decent job Northside.

And if he was extra aware of his surroundings, it had nothing to do with Mickey Milkovich.

Ian walked into the first grocery store he came across and looked for something to eat. He literally just had five bucks for food so it took him a while to settle for something.

He took a sandwich that he found on the sale rack and walked over to the checkout lane.

“Hey. You’re Mandy’s friend, right?”

Ian looked up from where he was counting change and found himself face to face with Mickey. “Yeah. Hi.”

Mickey smiled. “That’ll be 6 dollars.”

Ian frowned. “Oh. I got it from the sale table.”

“Shit. Someone must’ve put it there by mistake.”

Ian sighed and grabbed the sandwich to place it back.

“Wait, hang on.” Mickey swiped his ID and scanned the sandwich again. “You good with 4.80?”

“Look, you don’t need to do that.”

“No, it’s fine. Employee discount.”

Ian smiled and paid the amount. “Thanks.” Ian was about to leave when he turned back to Mickey. “Do you happen to have an opening here?”

“I don’t think so but I know the restaurant next door is looking for a server. Look for Alex, tell him Mickey sent you.”

“Alright, I will. Thanks Mick.”

“Sure.” Mickey smiled and went back to scanning groceries.

Mickey was different. He wasn’t the Mickey Ian knew, he seemed happier and calmer. Maybe this was who Mickey really was, underneath all that crap their bad neighborhood gave them.

Ian walked out the door and walked into the fancy-looking restaurant next door. He asked for Alex and a shorter man came walking towards him. He had big brown eyes, dark hair and a full beard.

“Are you Alex?”

“Yeah, you are?”

“Ian. Uh.. Mickey said you were hiring?”

Alex smiled at the mention of Mickey’s name and Ian couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. “Yeah man sure. You good with all this serving crap?”

Ian raised his eyebrow at the man’s language but it did a lot to make him feel comfortable. “Yeah, I used to work at a restaurant before. Washing dishes and shit.”

“Alright then, you’re hired. Come on back, I’ll give you your uniform and all the paperwork.”

Ian chuckled. “That all it takes to get a job here?”

Alex smiled. “Nah. But if Mickey says you’re good, then you’re good. How’d you know him though?”

“We grew up in the same neighborhood.”

“Ah. So you knew him from before  the… thing.”

Ian nodded.

“What was he like then?”

Ian shrugged. “Angrier.”

Alex nodded. “I’m glad I met him after, then.”

“You better be.” Mickey answered.

Ian turned around and saw Mickey coming into the backroom with his apron hanging over his shoulder.

“Hey Ian.”

Ian smiled and waved.

Mickey walked over to Alex and kissed his shoulder. “You good?”

“Hang on. I gotta finish some shit with Ian then we can go.” Alex turned back to Ian and handed him an envelope and his uniform. “Come in tomorrow before opening and I’ll run you through the training, okay?”

Ian didn’t answer. He was frozen in his spot. Mickey had a boyfriend. Mickey was seeing someone and that someone wasn’t him. Mickey had a fucking boyfriend.

“Yo! Hey, Ian?” Alex was waving his hands in front of Ian’s eyes.

“Oh. Um. Yeah, shit yeah, okay.” Ian lowered his head. He couldn’t look at Mickey’s boyfriend.

“You good with this?” Alex asked motioning to himself and Mickey. “I ain’t hiring some homophobic asshole, you know.” He looked at Ian with a frown.

“What? No, no. I’m good.”

“Alright.” Alex started unbuttoning his uniform and opening his locker. When all he was left with was a Henley, Ian could see the tattoos that were going around Alex’s arms. “I’ll see you tomorrow, don’t be late.” Alex said while putting on his shirt.

Alex nodded to Ian before putting his arm around Mickey’s shoulder and leading him outside.

Ian wanted to scream, to punch or kick something.

Why?

Because Mickey and Alex looked perfect together.


	3. Chapter 3

After making sure that his brothers and sisters were fed and sent to school (and wherever it is that Carl went to), Ian rode the train and walked towards his new job.

"There you are. Awesome!" Alex said clapping him on the back.

Ian smiled, hoping that it didn't look too forced.

Alex led Ian into the restaurant and started showing him what he would be doing the rest of the day and told Ian to _hop to it_.

When Ian was trying to balance a tray of empty dishes, the door suddenly opened and someone walked in.

_Mickey._

Ian set down the tray, before he could drop it, just as Alex walked over to greet Mickey with a kiss.

Ian had to look away. It still fucking hurt.

A knock came from the back door and Ian seriously wanted to hug whoever was knocking because it made Alex pulled away from Mickey. “Must be the morning deliveries.” He said before walking to the back to open the door.

Mickey chuckled fondly. “Considering he owns the damn restaurant, you’d think he’d have someone to do that shit, but no. He’s gotta do it all himself.”

“He owns the restaurant?” Ian asked dumbly.

Mickey nodded.

Fuck. Alex lived Northside with his own fucking restaurant.

What did Ian have? A house he didn’t own, siblings that needed to be supported, a fucking mental illness that can never be cured.

Nothing. That was what Ian had. Nothing.

Ian looked at Mickey. He actually looked pretty damn happy with himself, giving away smiles like it was Halloween and he was handing out candy.

But no.

Mickey was his.

Ian frowned.

~

“WHAT THE FUCK, IAN?!” Mandy yelled.

Ian was manning the podium which had all the reservations for the day when Mandy thought it a good idea to verbally assault him.

“Can I help you?” Ian answered lamely.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I needed a job.”

“Go the fuck away, Ian.”

“Hey Mandy! Everything okay?” Alex asked, popping out of nowhere.

“I just need to borrow Ian for a bit, that okay?”

“Yeah sure. Just bring him back before the lunch rush.” Alex smiled.

Ian wanted to roll his eyes but he was too busy being dragged behind a very angry Mandy Milkovich.

“What the fuck, Ian? I told you to stay away from him!” Mandy said.

Ian looked at Mandy. She looked good as well. Not as big a change as Mickey but she still looked way better than Southside Mandy. “How are you, Mands?”

Mandy made no efforts to hide the suspicion on her face. “What the fuck are you on about?”

“It’s just that, I haven’t seen you in a while and I kinda missed having my best friend around, you know? You look great!”

“You’re not charming yourself out of this, asshole.” Mandy snapped, not as harshly.

Ian sighed, shoulders slumping forward. “I’m fighting a losing battle here, aren’t I?”

“It’s not a battle if you want the same thing for Mickey.” Mandy’s voice softened when she saw how defeated Ian looked.

“I guess. But I just… I fucked up. I had a great thing and my stupid fucking brain had to mess with it.” Ian refused to look away from the crack on the pavement.

“Why’d you leave end it?”

“It was stupid.”

“Why, Ian?”

Ian let out a heavy sigh. “I thought that he didn’t trust me when I told him I wasn’t sick. I thought that he didn’t believe me when I told him I was completely fine. I thought that he didn’t love me.” Ian ended it in a whisper.

“You know how fu-”

“Stop. I know. Whatever the fuck you’re going to say, I’m sure that I’ve already said it to myself ten times over. I’ve beaten myself up about it so many fucking times. I know I’ve messed up and I hurt Mickey. I know. But look, he’s happy and I’m barely holding my head above water so I guess, we all got what we deserved, alright?”

Mandy frowned. It was always hard for Mandy being split between his brother and his best friend. Despite what Ian did to Mickey though, Mandy still can’t handle seeing Ian like this. “You don’t deserve to be sad, Ian.”

“Whatever.”

“Ian, listen to me.”

“Forget it. I know where you’re coming from and all that crap, okay? I get it now. Mickey’s happy and shit. I won’t do anything to mess that up. I’m going back to my job and work my butt off to keep Debbie and Liam in school and Carl from jail. That’s it. I don’t care if you even believe what the fuck I’m saying but I don’t care. I’m done.” Ian turned around, not even waiting for Mandy’s reply and stood behind his podium, trying very hard not to deflate.

~

The next day, Ian tried his best to shut off his brain and just do whatever Alex asked him to do.

Alex had a funny way of running his restaurant. He hired very few, good people, paid them well and had them do several jobs at once. So throughout the day, Ian worked at the cashier, the bar, out front and now he was wiping tables and cleaning up before they closed.

“Hey Ian!” Mickey came walking into the restaurant.

Ian simply nodded. Five more tables and he’d be free to go home.

“You okay today?” Mickey asked, still smiling.

“Yup!” Four more tables.

“Busy day in the restaurant?”

“Yup!” Ian frowned. Alex got the better end of the fucking deal. Ian would’ve given anything to have his Mickey ask about his day.

“Need some help?”

Ian shook his head. Three more tables.

“Is there something wrong?” Mickey asked, genuinely worried.

Ian sighed and shook his head, focusing on the table top instead of Mickey’s concerned face.

“I think I know what’s wrong.” Mickey said.

“Sure you do.” Two more tables.

“It’s about what happened before the amnesia, right?”

Ian froze.

“I knew it.”

Ian slowly looked up to meet Mickey’s eyes.

“Look, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Ian’s body was all tensed up. Mickey couldn’t possible remember, right?

“Mandy told me.”

“She what?!” Ian was so close to having a fucking heart attack. Okay, so Mickey didn’t remember but Mandy telling Mickey was way more pathetic.

“Yeah. She told me that I was a huge asshole back then. So, if you’re still mad about some shit I did back then, I’m really really sorry.”

Ian’s shoulders slumped. For some reason Ian was hoping that, somehow, the memory of their relationship found its way to Mickey’s memory.

But with the luck he’s been having recently, Ian shouldn’t have hoped for anything different.

Ian sighed. “Look, I just wanna get through this day. It’s been a bad day so I just really wanna finish this shit and head home, okay?”

Mickey frowned. He looked towards the other end of the restaurant where Alex was tallying up the papers for the day. “Look man, just go.” Mickey smiled. “I got this.”

“I still got half an hour and I have to sweep and then arrange the chairs and-” Ian froze when Mickey placed his hand over Ian’s.

“I’ll take care of all this crap. I still have to wait for Alex to finish all his shit anyway, so I might as well be helpful. Go home and go to bed.” Mickey smiled.

“Alright. Thanks, man. I owe you.” Ian gave Mickey a half-hearted smile before heading towards the back to grab his things and leave as fast as he can.

This Mickey wasn’t his Mickey. This Mickey was so helpful and understanding and _nice._ This Mickey was so far from the Mickey Milkovich Ian fell in love with.

So, why did Ian feel like he was starting to fall for not-Mickey?


	4. Chapter 4

Ian scratched the fork against the back of his locker door to make a little line. 

He looked at the other little lines beside it.

50.

50 days of working in the fucking restaurant.

50 fucking days of seeing Alex and Mickey together.

Don't get Ian wrong though, the pay was amazing and he liked being busy.

But Mickey.

Mickey.

Fucking Mickey.

Ian sighed and changed into his uniform. Might as well get this over with.

~

  
"Hey Firecrotch." Mandy yelled, skipping towards Ian.

Ian winced at the memories that accompanied the nickname.

Mandy noticed. "Shit, Ian. It's been years you're still not over it?"

"Shut up." Ian murmured while he kept sweeping the floor.

Mandy sighed heavily. "C'mon, let's go out for lunch, my treat."

Ian frowned and looked at Mandy, "It's only 10am."

"ALEX! IAN AND I ARE GOING OUT!" Mandy yelled towards the kitchen.

"BE BACK IN AN HOUR." Alex yelled back.

Mandy grinned and dragged Ian out the door.

~

"So," Mandy started. "what's Southside like these days?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's been years since I visited last and that was only to take a couple of shit that I left behind."

"It's different. I think your block is next on the list for 'beautifying'."

Mandy chuckled. "Yeah? Can't wait 'til me brothers get out of prison and shoot the whole street down."

"Does Mickey know?"

"About what? Our brothers?"

"Yeah, and about the Southside and Svetlana and Yevgeny?"  _And me?_

Mandy smiled, sadly. "Yes and no. He knows about the shit neighborhood. Our dad and other crap like that. But everything else," Mandy looked Ian in the eye, "I just figured it would be best if Mickey didn't know."

Ian smiled sadly and nodded.

"How are they, though?"

Ian smiled fondly. "With Lip and Fiona gone, and Frank mostly out of the way, Svetlana and Yev moved into our house. I just got a raise so I figured I could help them out. Yev and Liam are like best friends now."

Mandy smiled. 

~

Ian took a deep breathe to control his temper. "I'm sorry, ma'am, we're all booked."

The lady frowned. "I see a couple of tables empty. Right there!" She raised her too-orange hand and pointed through the glass.

"I understand ma'am but those tables are reserved."

"There isn't anyone using the table!" She replied.

Ian blinked slowly, unable to come up with anything polite to say.

"Orange boy!" 

Ian's eyes grew when he heard the voice calling him from across the street. "Fuck." Ian muttered.

"Excuse me?" The lady said.

Ian cannot deal with this right now, "Look lady, if you wanna eat here, call in advance. All the tables already have fucking names on them and I can't pull a table out of my fucking ass just so you have somewhere to park yours. Even if I can, I don't think I wanna give it to you until you call your tanning place and tell them that Halloween isn't for another couple of months so they can stop making you look like a motherfucking pumpkin!"

The lady stood frozen in front of him.

Ian smiled sweetly. "Thank you and please come again."

Once the lady disappeared, Ian turned his attention to Svetlana. "What are you doing here?!" Ian yelled out in a harsh whisper.

"Emergency. You have to take Yevgeny."

"I'm working!"

"He has toy, he will be quiet."

"What emergency are you even dealing with?"

Svetlana sighed. "Government want to send me back to Russia."

"They can't do that, you're married-"

"I have interview. I have to look for husband look alike. Yevgeny stays here. If I am not back, bring him home." Then she walked away.

Ian looked down at Yevgeny who was holding a stolen iPad in one hand.

Fuck.

~

A couple of minutes later, Alex walked towards Ian's podium. "Ian, I just got a call complaining about your behavior?"

"Oh, yeah, about that.."

"Ian, help!" Yevgeny yelled.

Ian winced.

"Who's the kid?" Alex asked looking at Yevgeny.

"That's Yevgeny he's, uh, well, he's my son."

Alex's eyebrows rose. "Your son? Mandy said you were-"

"Gay. I know. I am. But, you know, bad neighborhood." Ian said.

Alex frowned. "The lady said you called her a pumpkin."

"Look, I'm sorry. I just  had a lot on my mind." Ian said, motioning towards Yevgeny.

Alex shook his head slowly. "Get in there. I'm send Sarah out. Get your shit together, Ian. You're in the kitchen for the rest of the day."

Ian quickly picked Yevgeny up and walked straight into the kitchen.

~

Ian frustratedly threw his phone into his locker. He's called Svetlana 15 times already but she hasn't picked up. The restaurant will be closing in less than an hour and Mickey will be here any minute! Ian sighed and closed his locker door and patted Yevgeny's head on the way to the sink.

When he finished washing the last plate he had for the night, he heard yelling from the dining area.

Ian ran outside and regretted it the moment he saw what was happening.

Svetlana, Mickey, Mandy and Alex were all yelling outside on the sidewalk.

Fuck.

**Author's Note:**

> It has literally been a year since I've updated this. I promise I'll finish it within a week though!
> 
> It's not my favorite story of mine but a lot of you wanted me to update so I'll do my best. So sorry if it all seems rushed but I hit a wall on this one.
> 
> I promise I'm a better writer than this!!


End file.
